mental illness

[Sonofthunder]

I'm struggling with mental illness. It causes problems in my relationships. It is so hard on my family. Most of all it is so hard on me. I know I am not right in the head and I am getting help from a christian psychologist. The toughest thing is that it interferes with my relationship with my Lord. I can't focus on him when I'm so disturbed. I have good days and bad. The times I need the Lords help the most are the times I can't concentrate on him or the word. I feel so abandoned. Nothing is suposed to seperate us from God's love. I used to agree with this. But the truth is that mental illness can. I feel so abandoned in my time of need. Can anyone relate?

[micah4]

I'm struggling with mental illness. It causes problems in my relationships. It is so hard on my family. Most of all it is so hard on me. I know I am not right in the head and I am getting help from a christian psychologist. The toughest thing is that it interferes with my relationship with my Lord. I can't focus on him when I'm so disturbed. I have good days and bad. The times I need the Lords help the most are the times I can't concentrate on him or the word. I feel so abandoned. Nothing is suposed to seperate us from God's love. I used to agree with this. But the truth is that mental illness can. I feel so abandoned in my time of need. Can anyone relate?

Mental illness may make us feel that we are separated from God's love, but God's love for us is still there even when we can't feel it. When our thoughts are distorted by an illness, we have to remember that our feelings can deceive us. What we feel or think is distorted from what is true. I hope you know that God understands your struggle, and understands that your condition makes it difficult to concentrate on him at times. I might even be as bold as to say that this makes your worship more precious to him, because you continue to seek him even though your illness can make this so difficult at times. I don't know what your condition is, but I know something of this because I struggle with depression, and I know what it is to feel abandoned by God because of my goofy brain chemistry. It is not easy, but it has helped me to remember that because of my condition my feelings at times just can't be trusted. Faulty wiring in our brains sometimes just causes us to feel things that aren't true, even when there's no real reason that we should feel that way- and I have to trust what the word of God says even though I feel something different. I'm glad that you're getting help (with the christian psychologist). Feel free to send me a private message if you ever need somebody to talk to here.
God Bless,
Micah

[RanRan]

I'm struggling with mental illness. It causes problems in my relationships. It is so hard on my family. Most of all it is so hard on me. I know I am not right in the head and I am getting help from a christian psychologist. The toughest thing is that it interferes with my relationship with my Lord. I can't focus on him when I'm so disturbed. I have good days and bad. The times I need the Lords help the most are the times I can't concentrate on him or the word. I feel so abandoned. Nothing is suposed to seperate us from God's love. I used to agree with this. But the truth is that mental illness can. I feel so abandoned in my time of need. Can anyone relate?Of course. We're all disturbed by life. If I could recommend a book to you, it would be Becker's The Denial of Death. It's a work of art. He won the Pulitzer prize for it and then died shortly afterward.

God does love you and has forgiven you - you are redeemed. The question for all of us is: What will you do with your redemption? Tomorrow is a new day. God bless you, hang on.

[Jedidiah]

. . . I feel so abandoned. Nothing is suposed to seperate us from God's love. I used to agree with this. But the truth is that mental illness can. I feel so abandoned in my time of need. Can anyone relate?
All of us can relate to some degree. The sort of situation you face greatly exagerates the problem. If you can hold on to one thing, remember feeling separated is not being separated.

Grampa Jed

[Yakkity Yak]

I'm struggling with mental illness. It causes problems in my relationships. It is so hard on my family. Most of all it is so hard on me. I know I am not right in the head and I am getting help from a christian psychologist. The toughest thing is that it interferes with my relationship with my Lord. I can't focus on him when I'm so disturbed. I have good days and bad. The times I need the Lords help the most are the times I can't concentrate on him or the word. I feel so abandoned. Nothing is suposed to seperate us from God's love. I used to agree with this. But the truth is that mental illness can. I feel so abandoned in my time of need. Can anyone relate?

I can relate and I don't mean this as a glib quote, but seriously I have connected with David's Pslam 42.

Why is his soul so cast down?

The verse, Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me.

IMO, this means an infinite loop, "deep calls to deep" - David feels that his pain is never ending, and his hopelessness is as deep as the ocean.

Waves and breakers? The weight, the pounding, the never ending pounding in yet again, another infinite sequence. Now, don't give up, :thumb: and my your soul be lifted and encouraged by the Lord's supernatural grace and infinite mercies!

I hope you don't have enemies taking delight in your struggles?

Psalm 42

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?

My tears have been my food day and night, while men say to me all day long, "Where is your God?"

These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go with the multitude, leading the procession to the house of God, with shouts of joy and thanksgiving among the festive throng.

Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.

My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you from the land of the Jordan, the heights of Hermon-from Mount Mizar.

Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me.

By day the Lord directs his love, at night his song is with me- a prayer to the God of my life.

I say to God my Rock, "Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?"

My bones suffer mortal agony as my foes taunt me, saying to me all day long, "Where is your God?"

Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.

[SuzieQue]

my struggle with mental illness began after the second assault in my life, trust me over the last few years I had and took every opportunity to feel as though God had abandoned me. I, in turn, began to abandon him -- it was a vicious cycle. Then in the last few weeks I got some perspective and good mental health treatment specifically for trauma. I do sincerely empathize with you in your struggle. God has not abandoned you even if it feels like it. "Rom 8:39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Hold on to the promises they are your lifeline. :smile: